
Class 
Book-_ 







Copyright N°_ 



lqi^_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



WAYFARERS 



BY 
VIRGINIA CORRY 




BOSTON 

SHERMAN, FRENCH & COMPANY 

1914 



75 



m -5 1914 



Copyright, 1914 
Sherman, French &> Company 






©CIA 3 761 8 8 



Fare you forth, my simple lays, 

Knock at many a distant door 

Until you find one who serves the poor; 

To him you may speak 

As he dreams by his hearthside, 

Or wander with him in blossomtide. 

So may a trusting piper find a friend 

At the far world's end. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The Pilgrims 1 

The Swingers 2 

The Master's Pottery 3 

Upon the King's Highway 4 

Long Ago 5 

A Student to an Intruder 6 

To the Rising Sun 8 

The Musicians 9 

Blue and Red 10 

In the Valley . . 11 

The Lady in Gray 12 

Night 14 

Idolaters 15 

Love 16 

The Spirit of the Wind 17 

To the Sparrows at Daybreak .... 19 

The Deserters 20 

The Nightingale . 21 

The White Butterfly 22 

The Pomegranate Tree 23 

A Lover to a Lass 24 

Shadows , 26 

Love's Flower 27 

The Reapers 29 

Time 31 

Her Guiding Light 33 

Sympathy .......... 35 

Judgment 36 

The Dying Plea 37 



PAGE 

The Returning 38 

Unison 40 

A Song of Spring .41 

The Realm of Fantasy 43 

The Song of the Lover 44 

The Rocker 45 

The Plaint of the Lonely Knight . . 46 

The Watchers 47 

The Storm 48 

Summer 50 

To the Man upon the Mountain ... 52 

Sleep 53 

A Minstrel to a Day 54 

A Messenger 55 

Sunset 56 

Love and Pain 57 

The Last Descendant 58 

The Pebble 60 

Endeavor 61 

Life's Castaway 62 

From Out the Past 64 

One of Many 66 

The Morning Breeze .68 

Hospitality 69 

Upon the Seashore 70 

The Plea of the Scissors Grinder ... 71 

Mother Earth 73 

The Conqueror 75 

A Lover and — Alas 77 

Degeneration 80 



PAGE 

Laughter 81 

The Sign 82 

The Italian Youth 83 

His Treasury 84 

Upon the Great Highway 85 

May 86 

In Harvest Time 87 

Possession 89 

Thanksgiving 92 



THE PILGRIMS 

The morn has come! 
Fling wide your intangible gates, O day! 

And we will go upon our way, 
Some with hope; 

Some with pain ; 
Some with love without a stain ; 

Some seeking to behold 
Realms of purest gold; 

And some who have lost their " Eldo- 
rado," 
And now must pace with sorrow, 

Who does not hesitate to trace 
Pain upon the fairest face. 

In the throng 
I espy the gayest fellow, 

Dressed in brightest yellow, 
Dancing upon his way 

In the radiant light of day. 
Some call him levity; 

Some call him laughter; 
But him I will run after, 

For I would be, 
O sweetest destiny! 

Mistress of this merry fellow 
In a garb of brightest yellow. 



[1] 



THE SWINGERS 

Green grow the grasses ! 

Oh, green grow the grasses ! 
Over all the stars of light 

Watch while the world passes ; 
As a mote in a sunbeam, 

We swing in space. 

Rulers of empires, 

Cobwebs of lace! 
Don the plumes of an eagle, 

That ye may seem high 
To the monarch of space 

Who dwells in the sky. 

Green grow the grasses ! 

Oh, green grow the grasses ! 
Weave me a swing of them, O Time! 

While the world passes ; 
And sway me and swing me, 

And toss me so high 
That when my day passes 

I may alight in the sky. 



m 



THE MASTER'S POTTERY 

The shadowy moonlight 

The glow of the morn, 
The swaying heather, 

The flight of a bird in song, 
A fragant flower, 

And the weed which we cast forth 
in scorn 
Awaited the coming of man 

Ere ever man was born. 

My Master took a bit of the sky 

A shadow near by, 
A feather from the wing of a bird, 

And fleece from a cloud on high; 
A breeze from the sea, 

A drooping flower, 
A radiant hour, 

And snow and earth and sky 
He folded up in thee and me 

And bade us seek Him in eternity. 



[3] 



UPON THE KING'S HIGHWAY 

Drawn up in royal array 

Upon the king's highway 
Are poppies buff and red; 

But the king lies abed. 

The grasses are green, 

And bright with anemones ; 

Upon a great rock of gray 
Like a wan sentry 

A butterfly, the emblem of fair weather, 
Spreads wings of black and yellow. 

The maple trees form a grateful shade 

And an emerald arch 
For a sovereign and his cavalcade; 

But naught comes their way, 
Save a bit of thistledown, silent and 
free, 

Floating o'er the earth and the sea. 

The king lies abed — 

And gentlemen of high degree 
And equerries upon chargers bold 

With trappings of gold 
Bow their heads; 

For none can summon the dead. 



[4] 



LONG AGO 

There was a great senor 
Who said my name, " Virginia," 
Softly and low, 
Long ago. 

His hand so brown 
Did lead me down 
A pathway oversteep 
For my young feet. 

There were thistles there 
He did declare, 
And a big snake 
Over yonder. 

So in play 
We hastened away 
From great heights 
Grave and somber. 

Some regret ; some forget ; 
And some grow ever fonder 
Of the years 

Way over yonder. 

I am not gray, but I must say 
I am not so gay as upon that day, 
In early May, when I said, " Nay," 
To the senor who said, " Virginia," 
Softly and low 
Long ago. 

[5] 



A STUDENT TO AN INTRUDER 

The rain beats upon my windowpane, 

And the wind flings wide my door, 
As though to explore my scanty store 

And search my being o'er and o'er — 
Doubtless shouting without what I am 
about, 

Reading here of a shepherd and seer. 
Wind, you may attest 

That my clothes are not the best; 
Nevertheless, proclaim 

That I am a good fellow, 
And, if my coins were yellow, 

I would display great generosity 
In clothing those 

Who are obliged to bear you company, 
And whose daily wage 

Grim poverty cannot assuage. 
Furthermore, you may affirm 

That when I leave this world of little 
ease, 
Should I live again 

In a realm as vain, 
I would prefer to be 

A well covered tree, or a furry thing, 
Indifferent to your sting — 

For it is only in dreams 
That I have the means 

To keep want from my door 
[6] 



Or sufficiently cover my being o'er. 

Therefore, wind so bold, 
I pray you leave me alone 

When I am at home. 



m 



TO THE RISING SUN 

O Courier there! 

Bearest thou tidings of hope and good 
cheer 
To a desolate being here? 

Is my name enrolled upon an ancient 
scroll? 
Shall I live again beyond Life's plain? 

Thou that dwellest so high 
Must know the secrets of the sky! 

O mighty sun, whose glorious banner 
Is unfurled across the world, 

Give me a light to decipher 

All that is symboled here aright! 



[8] 



THE MUSICIANS 

Hark! hark! to the fairies' violins, 

How they sing! 
O'er their strings elfin fingers 

Find their way and display 
Modes of music seldom heard 

In the world by passion stirred. 
But the rills upon the hills 

Have learned their trills ; 
And the nightingale delights to con the 
score 

O'er and o'er, 
Joined by the wood-dove's soft diminuendo ; 

And the breeze upon the river, 
Murmuring of the earth's endeavor, 

Hums the refrain 
Again and again. 

The bows are moved a trifle faster 
On the strings which note disaster 

As, reverberating and direct, 
Sounds the mighty cataract ! 

Thus do the musicians play 

In the garden of the day, 
O men, halt upon your way, 

And listen to the tune that Nature 
sings, 
Voicing her delight 

In the day and in the night ! 

[9] 



BLUE AND RED 

Blue and red for the dead! 

The sunset unfolded its crimson flag on high, 

Studded with the blue of the sky; 
Thus proclaiming that the day had passed 

by, 

And blue and red were for the dead. 

A lass I knew 
Wore a gown of blue, 

A scarf of red 
Draped her head; 

And she looked in vain 
For a bark and her laddie 

Whom the sea had claimed; 
Thus in blue and red 

She sighed for the dead. 



[10] 



IN THE VALLEY 

Down in a misty valley 

I saw a form with little grace, 
Which averted its face 

When I drew nigh; 
And I heard a cry 

As I gazed into a pool near by, 
And saw reflected there 

The ghost of a woman 
I had once thought fair, 

With dusky tangled hair 
And fixed wide eyes 

That seemed to gaze past me 
Into some great depth of misery. 



[11] 



THE LADY IN GRAY 

In the golden noonlight 

One with a marvelous sight 
Saw a lady in gray 

Pass his way. 
Her diaphanous hair hung way down 

Upon her gown, 
Its meshes, frail 

As a silvery veil 
Revealed her slender form 

Made of mist, 
The hue of amethyst. 

She lifted her arms, when Io ! 

She floated to and fro, 
And with a lingering sigh 

Passed the world by 
And ascended a cloud 

Which, like a ship of state, 
In a harbor of blue did her await ; 

For it sailed away 
And was lost to view 

Ere the sun sank to rest 
Beyond the mountain's crest. 



[12] 



While in a castle square 

Mournfully a bell 
Tolled a knell, 

And many uncovered their heads ; 
For it was said 

A gracious lady was dead. 



[13] 



NIGHT 

A fragrance fills the air, 

The moonlight makes the meadow fair, 

And many a bright blossom I can see 

Upon the hawthorn tree. 

The radiant night 

Hath all the charms of day; 

Only in my desolate heart there dwells 

The darkness of farewell. 



[14] 



IDOLATERS 

Give me a sign 

Father of mine ! 
From a rift in heaven 

That we shall be forgiven ! 
We who are driven by chance 

And merciless circumstance 
From love and pity, 

And in blindness fight our way 
To an altar of clay. 

That we may erect on high 
A god of gold 

To control the world ; 
While faith and just endeavor 

Are vanquished by this alien god for- 
ever, 
And the race of men that Christ em- 
braced 

Are deaf to His far cry, 
As they proffer their souls 

To a god of gold. 



[15] 



LOVE 

O love, from the infinite regions above 

Thou hast come, 
With a radiance all thine own, 

To lighten care 
And bid the fallen yield not to despair. 

Thy tender glance doth entrance; 
Touch a silent chord within my heart 

And I shall know what thou art, 
Breath of morning ! Star of night ! 

Weaver of a mystic rite! 

Thou art Might, fair and wise, 

For in thine eyes 
None are too humble to share 

Thy kingdom rare. 

minstrel of a hundred lays ! 

Make fair my days ! 

1 know thou art a rover, 

But I pray thee bide with me. 
And for thy fee 

Take thou my soul's ecstasy. 



116] 



THE SPIRIT OF THE WIND 

I started from my sleep 

In the early morn to see 
The spirit of the wind 

Who whispered o'er me; 
White was the beard 

Which fell upon his breast. 

Locks of gray 

Hung in disarray 
About a rosy face 

To which youth had lent a grace 
That Time could not erase. 

His eyes were blue of a faded hue. 

Wide and without guile, 

Like the eyes of a questioning child, 
They seemed to gaze beyond me 

Into depths of infinity. 
In his face I could not trace 

The wisdom of our race. 

As he whispered o'er me, 

I felt he had never known sorrow nor fear. 
And I shuddered from his hand, 

For no mortal plea could he understand; 
Created in a distant sphere, 

He knew naught of the suffering here. 

[17] 



Nature is his harp, 

And frequently upon the strings of destiny 
He plays the wildest fantasy. 

The lilies bow their heads in fear 
As this wandering minstrel draweth near, 

Singing the deathsong of the year. 

The broken bow of the sycamore tree 

And the dying rose crumple 'neath his 
power. 

The brave ship, with sails rent and riven, 
Will seek in vain a safe haven 

When the wind upon the waters doth play 
Under heaven's vast canopy. 

Therefore, although his breath 

But fanned my brow, 
I shrank from him as a captive might 

The conqueror who, girth 
With sword and spear, 

Bids the conquered have no fear. 



[18] 



TO THE SPARROWS AT DAYBREAK 

Such a chatter! 

Such a chatter ! 
Goodness me, what's the matter? 

Has the magnolia burst into bloom? 
Has the wisteria faded too soon? 

Has the field of clover 
Been roughly ridden over? 

Has a falling chestnut burr 
Caused a whirr 

Where the robin makes its nest 
In a dim green wilderness? 

good creatures, I would know 
Why you chatter so. 

Bumblebee and lazy beetle, 

Golden moth that plagues the people, 
Do you know 

There is the deuce to pay 
Among the heralds of the day? 



[19] 



THE DESERTERS 

Ho, my lord! 

In the campfire's gleams 
Your men at arms 

Make way for dreams 
In which the enemy 

Scales your castle Avails, 
And sups with jest and revelry 

In your ancestral halls ! 

The standard of your race 
Is flung upon the ground; 

Upon your battlements high 
They have set their ensign 

With many colors bright ; 
And God Himself 

Must marvel at the sight! 



Awake ! Arise ! 
Your men so brave and true 
Have forsaken you! 



[20] 



THE NIGHTINGALE 

In the soft moonlight 

That blooms in the night, 

Like a magnolia fair 
In its dark lair, 

I listen to the tune 

That the nightingale sings in June. 

O sweetest lay! 

O ecstasy! 
O love from above ! 

Of this treasure beyond measure. 
Dost thou sing, 

O bird with the dusky wing! 



[21] 



THE WHITE BUTTERFLY 

Little white butterfly 

Floating over my clover bed, 
By what airy fancy are you led? 

Your wings have a soft sheen, 
And your tender body between 

Must have a spark of celestial fire, 
Or else it would tire 

Of hurrying to and fro 
In a maze I cannot see 

In my purblind poverty ; 
But by your bearings 

I know you to be 
A messenger of peace to me. 

When Nature flaunts a flag of truce 

Naught can trouble me ; 
I may not have wings, 

But I understand a few things. 



[22] 



THE POMEGRANATE TREE 

Although I have little to wear 

And scanty fare, 
I will not sigh 

But sadness defy, 
For a pomegranate tree 

Is in blossom near me. 

A bird in the tree 

Carols with glee 
Of fruit overhead, 

Luscious and red, 
To be borne by the pomegranate tree 

In blossom near me. 

Waving on high, 

In the wan moonlight, 
You may descry 

Banners as bright as beacon lights 
Upon the pomegranate tree 

In blossom near me. 

Hope and good cheer 

Have settled here, 
And the joyous hours 

Are laden with flowers, 
Since the pomegranate tree 

Is in blossom near me. 

[23] 



A LOVER TO A LASS 

Sweet Adair, lithesome and fair ! 

Wilt thou be a wife to me ? 
My estate is not great, 

But rich beyond compare 
Are the sweet alyssums there, 

And the purple heartsease grows 
About the door 

Of the cottage which I have built with care, 
Thinking, as I worked upon the hearth, 

Of thee, sweet Adair. 

I shall not despair of thy presence there, 

For I have seen the sunrise 
And the lovelight in thine eyes, 

Which glowed for me, 
My divinity ! 

I will give to thee a cloak of red, 
And a bonny horse 

To carry thee through the valley, 
And a flower bed 

Beneath thy window I will spread. 

When thou dost dwell with me thou shalt see 

That my mother gave to me 
The grace to know how tender I should be 

To a gentle being such as thee. 
There is a hook for thy bonnet, 

A ribbon for thy hair, and a rocking chair 
[S4] 



For thee, sweet Adair ! 

And a faithful servitor thou shalt find, 
When thou dost place thy hand in mine. 

sweet Adair! 

With thy pure eyes and sunny hair, 
God give to me the right 

To do and dare for thee, 
My sweet Adair ! 



[25] 



SHADOWS 

Near a thicket upon the ground 
Graceful shadows dance around, 

Nod and gesture and display 
An exquisite courtesy ; 

Retreating with the breeze and giving way 
To the sunlight, whose shafts are found 

Here and there upon the ground. 

There, without strife or might, in a dim 

light, 
Magic does abound; 

And not a sound 
Breaks the spell in the fragrant dell 

Where fantastic shadows dwell. 

If in despair, seek a sylvan glade, 
And watch the sunlight wade 
Through the shadows there; 
Soon your sorrows will disappear, 

Leaving you without a fear. 



[26] 



LOVE'S FLOWER 

Love, from the garden bring to me a flower, 
As an emblem of this radiant hour ; 

Not the lily of the valley 

Which droops its head as for one dead ; 

Nor the purple heliotrope 

Which, when parted from its parent stem, 

Dies so soon in the heat of noon ; 

Nor the daisy simple and white, 

It cannot typify our delight; 
Nor the gorgeous magnolia with its sweet per- 
fume, 
Its fair petals are stained 
By the touch of a gentle hand; 

Nor the flaming poppy 
Which lifts its head so haughtily for all to 
see; 

Nor the white rose 

Which I wore in my hair 
Before I knew thy love so true; 

But see, heart of my heart, 
By the aspen tree 

Grows an everlasting blossom, 
The flower for you and me. 

Its straw colored petals do not deceive; 
It is strong and true 
[27] 



And will live with us whate'er we do. 

Place it upon my breast and it shall be 
The emblem of the sweetest hour on earth to 
me, 

The hour when you said your heart 
Was mine for all time. 



p8] 



THE REAPERS 

Yonder come the reapers 

The rising sun to greet, 
The golden wheat to reap! 

Brilliant butterflies overhead; 
Swaying poppies, yellow and red ; 

Grasses green, 
And grasses mellow, 

Hello! 

With the songsters in the thickets 

Make obeisance to the day! 
There is not a shadow in your way. 

Youth is sweet! Time is fleet! 
And love is here to greet 

Every lad and lassie. 
Tender messages are .sent today 

From eyes of blue and brown and gray. 

There's saucy Prue and Allan O'Toole; 

Mary Gould of the Golden Rule; 
Annabel Gray in a kirtle gay; 

Gertie McGee and Johnnie Mallory; 
Ebidiza and Ann Eliza; 

Freckled Fan and wayward Dan; 
And leading the way, 

With hair astray, Madcap May. 

[29] 



She blithely dances o'er the dew, 

Gay as a bird, 
Light as a fay, 

And the plague 
Of the lads and lassies. 

Oh, life is but a holiday! 
Work is play when love and youth combine 

In the fragrant summertime. 



[30] 



TIME 

I care not for your laughter, 

I care not for your tears, 
I that am your master 

And measure out your years. 
To some I give full many, 

To others but a span, 
As I play pitch and toss 

With the destiny of man. 

I care no more if your life be brief 

Than I do for the ruddy leaf 
Which fades away too soon 

'Neath October's loom. 
For every grief there is relief, 

But laughter is in vain, 
For he who flaunts his mirth in such wise 

Must buckle down to pain. 

Will you fill your bowl, benighted soul, 

And drain it with a sigh, 
Or laugh as I pass by, 

Placing within your reach 
The walnut and the peach, 

And in fairest faith the luscious grape, 
To beguile you for awhile, 

That you may gather a rose where the 
thistle grows? 

[31] 



Sweetest memories decline and fade away in 
time. 

He who prates of glory 
May be numbered with the slain ; 

He whose woes are many paradise may at- 
tain. 
But I care not for your poverty, 

I care not for your gain; 
The master of your destiny 

Does not reckon on the twain. 



[32] 



HER GUIDING LIGHT 

Peter Bright ! Peter Bright ! 

I think of thee 
In the early morning light, 

And when the lamp in my study 
Throws its mellow beams 

Upon the canvas where 
The lorelei's slim white fingers stray 

Through her golden hair. 
And in the long dark night 

Dreams recall thee to my sight, 
For the memory of thee 

Is my guiding light by day and night, 
Peter Bright! Peter Bright! 

Thy hands are kind and strong; 

Thy words are wondrous wise; 

And bright thine eyes. 
When all the world seemed drear 

Thou wert near with a guiding hand 

And a soft command. 
Laughter and many a jest 
I found as thy guest, 
And frequently thou gavest me 

A tender glance 

Which did my world enhance, 
For thou wert mine only delight, 

Peter Bright! Peter Bright 1 

[33] 



Our paths diverge ; 

I must find courage 
Where lurks despair, 

For such would be thy counsel, dear, 
And in all things I would be 

True to thee. 
The wood fire gleams, 

But bleak and cold the study seems. 
The lorelei's blue alluring eyes 

Gaze upon me musingly; 
A faint contempt upon her red lips 

I discern as I sigh, 
Peter Bright! Peter Bright! 



[«*] 



SYMPATHY 

Nature wore a somber air ; 

The brown hills were bare; 
'Neath a leaden sky 

A breeze did sigh, 
And a woodpecker drummed disconsolately 

Upon a hollow tree. 
I could not see the trailing robe of day, 

For a tint of gray, 
Like the ashes of a dead flower, 

Encompassed the hour 
When love said good-by to me, 

And nature wore a somber air 
In my despair. 



[35] 



JUDGMENT 

An adventurous bird 

Rose from the fields of earth 
With a joyous song 

To seek the wells of spring; 
But a bleak wind flung him 

Upon a rocky promontory 
And broke his wing, 

Wherefore he could not sing, 
Since only in flight 

Could he find delight, 
And the strength to voice a song 

That did not to earth belong. 
Fate had cast him upon the ground, 

And there he crept around 
With a broken wing, 

A bit of struggling clay, 
A grievous thing, 

Which the mole scorned to know. 
Thus he dwelt 

With the lizard and the beetle 
And the strangest kind of people. 

Ere long 
Memory ceased to remind him 

Of the song of long ago, 
And the lizard and the beetle, 

That had never known a woe, 
Thought him slow. 

[36] 



THE DYING PLEA 

Kiss me and tell me you love me. 

Kiss me again! 
I have passed through days of shadows, 
And nights of pain. 
Kiss me again! 

Yon oak tree is sturdy, 

But it bends 
'Neath the sobbing rain. 

Kiss me again! 

See ! The light is almost gone, and my 
white rose, 

Ere it sheds its loveliness, 
Taps upon my window pane. 

Kiss me again ! 

Hark! There is a roar 

As of a mighty ocean at my door ! 
And against the night 

A wild bird screams with fright ! 
While I cry in vain 

Kiss me again! 



[37] 



THE RETURNING 

The dead have gone 

So far, so far 
Beyond the light of the evening star ! 

Although they live in a far country, 
I am reminded of their constancy, 

For oh! the dead remember me! 

I have felt their presence in the gloom 

Of my silent room, 
Stepping softly to and fro, 

Touching everything I possessed with a 
caress, 
Seeming with their silent mien 

Like creatures in a dream. 

When the dawn's fresh face 

Peered into my window and across my 
floor, 
With unheard footsteps and mystic grace 
They hovered around me, then vanished in 
space, 
Leaving me forever more 

Rarest treasures from hope's golden store. 



[38] 



L'ENVOI 

Be it said of the dead 

That their tasks are over, 

And place upon their breasts, 
As a symbol and a crest, 

A four-leaf clover. 



[39] 



UNISON 

The sky looked upon the earth and said: 

" Although I be of high degree, 
And thou so lowly, 

We form a mighty unity; 
Thou dost yield great treasure, 

I form a pathway for the sun, 
That its amber rays may bring thy concep- 
tions 

To infinite perfection. 
And I send the rain to hasten the precious 
grain 

Which doth millions sustain. 
Thou seeketh my help in thy endeavor, 

And I, who live forever, 
Would be without thee but a vain concavity. 

Look above and find a love 
That covereth thee as a fruitful tree ; 

Thus proving that perfect harmony exists 
Between those of high and low degree, 

So ordained by a supreme authority." 



1*0] 



A SONG OF SPRING 

Rejoice ! Rejoice ! 
As with one voice, 
Re j oice ! 

The earth's decree 

Appears on bush and tree. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

The breeze has sent fragrant petals 

Here and there to declare that spring is 
here. 
Rejoice! Rejoice! 

O bird with the brightest wing, 
With thee I lift my voice ! 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

The rose bough a dusky red doth hold 
The acacia trees are decked with gold. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

O time so fleet, 
Life is sweet ! 

Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

A harp with golden strings 

Is touched by the breath of spring. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

[41] 



Hark to the call of the whippoorwill 
And the song of the rill! 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

Welcome flowers and halcyon hours, 
Ye doth proclaim a mighty name. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

King and beggar, take thy pleasure, 

The bounty of earth is without measure. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

Upon the tree of destiny 

Are goodly gifts for thee and me. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 

As with one voice, rejoice! 

For spring is here and God is near. 
Re j oice ! Re j oice ! 



[42] 



THE REALM OF FANTASY 

There was never a thorn for me, my dear, 
There was never a thorn for me; 

I lived in a world of harmony, 
A world of harmony — 

In a realm of ease where sapphire seas 

Reflected a sky serene; 
And the hills were covered with a mellow 
bloom, 

And the meadows with a tender green. 

The roses there could do no wrong, 
They had never a thorn, my dear, 

For they lived in a world of harmony, 
A world of harmony. 

If you would know of this mystic sphere 

Where the oriole held communion with me, 
a human, 

Upon the pinions wide 

Of imagination you must ride 

O'er a world of gray into a realm of fantasy, 
Where there was never a thorn for me, my 
dear, 

In a mystical world of harmony, 
A world of harmony. 

[43] 



THE SONG OF THE LOVER 

I went through a dusky wood 

Where gray shadows stood, 
And many trees 

Joined arms on high 
To keep my glances from the sky. 

My pathway of crimson and gold, 
Which the leaves placed 

Fold upon fold, 
Led to the sea, 

Where a ship awaited me 
Bound for a far country. 

And singing a blithesome air 

Of a maiden fair, 
I took no thought 

Of figures in gray, 

Nor the darkness of the wood, 
Where the green leaves 

Made a hood 
To cover many a creeping thing 

Which menaced me 
On my way to the sea 

And my fair ladye. 
For love accompanied me, 

And I saw upon the brow of night 
Only a gem of the fairest light. 



[44] 



THE ROCKER 

Tall poplar trees all in a row 

In my garden grow. 
On a windy day they nod and say, 

" Ho, ho ! " to the breeze 
Which rustles their leaves, 

And rocks the bough 
Where a drowsy bird rests upon her downy 
nest 

In a leafy wilderness. 
The breeze may sigh and to her cry, 

" Come away, come away, and fly witb 
me today, 
O pretty thing! 

It is time to attend to your marketing." 

But under the eaves 

Of the poplar leaves 
It is a pleasure in gusty weather 

To dream with closed eyes of southern 
skies, 
Heedless of treasure 

To be found upon the ground. 
So, little one, rock and sway 

While others say, 
" Ho, ho ! " to the windy day. 



[45] 



THE PLAINT OF THE LONELY 
KNIGHT 

Sweet daffodils and murmuring rills! 

Hath passed this way 
Upon a white palfrey 

The fairest sight in all the wide daylight? 
A lady in a damask gown, 

With yellow hair unbound, 
And upon her head a hood of red 

From which shone forth 
A face pale as the magnolia frail, 

And eyes the hue of the iris blossom; 
And lips red as the flaming flower 

Which blooms in the snow 'neath a north- 
ern sky. 
Hath ye seen such a radiant being pass by? 

O swaying daffodils and murmuring rills! 
Ye can but sigh ; 

She passed by! 
And I can know no rest, 

For this great lady but yesterday 
Stole from me, an humble knight, 

The heart within my breast, 
And all the world seems dark and gray 

Since she passed my way. 



[46] 



THE WATCHERS 

In a dream I saw many watch towers agleam ; 

In a purple dale, I was within hail, 
Yet the watchers spake not, but gazed upon me 

With some despair; 
And sighing to behold their grief, I awoke 

Where I, a weary traveler, 
Had lain down to rest when the day was bright, 

And lo! it was night, 
With many stars agleam in the purple sky; 

Musingly I watched a cloud sail by. 



[47] 



THE STORM 

The storm god is here! 

The plumes of the ocean 
Are all in motion, 

Tossing on high 
'Neath a somber sky, 

As the great waves rise to hail 
The riotous gale 

Which whistles an air wild and free 
Gleaned in a strange countree! 

The trees are bent, 

The leaves are sent 
Over field and meadow, 

And waving heather ; 
The sturdy oak, 

The lily frail, 
And the sweet daffodil 

Are bowed with woe 
By the mighty foe 

Who stamps about 
In maddest glee 

To see his subjects 
Scurry and flee 

From a legion of fears 
That shout in their ears. 



[48] 



But there is strength 

To be found 
In a hole in the ground, 

And many a squirrel 
Seeks a haven of rest 

'Neath the earth's warm breast, 
And does not envy 

The beings proud and free 
Who claim to hold dominion 

Over land and sea. 
Such wealth as theirs 

May lay them low, 
Where even a field mouse would not go. 

Thus many a small thing 
Triumphs today 

Over man in this wild fray. 



[49] 



SUMMER 

Summer has come again! 

Garlands without a stain 
Weave I with hope again, 

Roses of fairest mien 
Entwined with brightest green, 

To deck my brow — 
Listening to love acclaim 

Summer has come again ! 
For in this garden fair all things declare 

Summer has come, summer has come. 

Violets so sweet 

And subjects so neat 
Summer has summoned to scent the air 

With perfume rare 
And attest her loveliness, 

Crying in every ear 
Be of good cheer, 

Summer has come, summer is here. 

Drape and deck yourselves 

In fairest array 
For a holiday, 

And be in tune 
With lovely June, 

Bidding good-day 
To everyone, for 

Summer has come, summer has come. 
[50] 



In the trees 

Beneath the leaves 
Birds with folded wings 

Sing of joyous things. 
Who could repine 

In this glad time, 
While the bees hum 

Summer has come, summer has come? 



[51] 



TO THE MAN UPON THE MOUNTAIN 

man upon the mountain top ! 

I am too frail to climb the trail 
Which leads to your splendor ; 

But when the cool rains of September 
Have quenched the brown earth's thirst up 
there, 
The wild rose and the violet will climb your 
stair, 
And perchance speak of one who faltered on the 
way, 
For I wore them in my hair 
In the valley when you thought me fair, 

And did speak confidently to me 
Of the might and height and light of prayer. 
I, that had known despair, did not forbear 
To hope that I too might find a way 

To him who lives upon the radiant heights so 
high 
Beyond the sky. 

Do not leave me here in pain ! Come again ! 

Teach me to be brave 
And my spirit save ; 

For I would owe you such a debt 

1 could ne'er forget. 



[52] 



SLEEP 

There is a whisper o'er the land 

Which many heed but none understand, 

A whisper of peace and of love 
Like a benediction from above 

To the bending flowers in the dusky hours ; 
The messenger of love is softly singing his 
lay 

O'er the golden head and the gray. 

Sleep, ye whose playtime has just begun, 
Sleep, ye whose race is almost run, 

Sleep, ye who weep, 

Tomorrow ye may reap golden wheat. 

Sleep, happy things with folded wings, 
God's messenger is here; 

Know ye not fear. 



[53] 



A MINSTREL TO A DAY 

Where hast thou gone, 

Thou gladsome day, 
With thy blossoms bright and gay? 

Wert thou born to me for a space 
And then to God in heaven, 

And canst thou be forgiven? 

O beautiful, merciless day! 

Thou hast gone with all my gladness ; 
But thou canst not take away 

The flower she gave me in my madness. 



[5*] 



A MESSENGER 

A bird whose like 

I had never seen in mountain or meadow 
Flew to my casement; 

And although his wings were bright, 
He sang not of delight, 

But wore a plaintive air, 
And sang, methought, of something lost 
somewhere ; 

Or was it but my own despair 
That he did voice with such a wondrous art 

That methought my heart 
Would break with pain, 

Listening to the plaintive strain? 

O vagrant from a distant shore ! 

Sing to> me no more ! 
For my love lies dying, 

And all the world is sighing. 



[55] 



SUNSET 

Sunset ! — A flock of seagulls wend their way 

Above a golden spray. 
Near the bay the bluebells swing and sway, 

As though tolling for the passing day 
In whose fiery rays the breeze 

Tosses crimson and gold and russet leaves, 
Which dance away to meet the twilight gray, 

Whose velvety pall soon will be thrown over 
all. 

Sunset ! — The light within my room recedes 

As though it sought in vain 
For the fair head that did brighten the gloom 

Of the dark room, 
And in the wan light 

A shadow of a cypress grave and tall 
Falls upon my wall. 



[56] 



LOVE AND PAIN 

I plucked a poppy for my breast. 

The warmth that my life blood shed 
Upon its loveliness drooped its head, 

And so it died there 
Of loneliness and despair. 

I should have known that it was too fair 
and gay 
To stay with one who lingered in the gloom, 

Past earth's fairy loom, 
Where all things blithe gather with delight 

And from golden hours are woven flowers 
Which in graceful array 

Welcome the day. 

heralds so bright, 

Give me of your light! 
For I have paid a toll to earth 

And would find a way 
Out of the gloom to yesterday. 



[57] 



THE LAST DESCENDANT 

O'er ocean and land I have roamed, 

At last I have come to my home, 

Barred the great door; and alone 

The old ruin I would explore, 

But a shadowy form in a cloak of gray 

Greets me from the gloom of a distant room. 

Sovereign of an ancient race! 

Thou hast come to haunt this place. 
I know thy step upon the stair, 

I gaze into the glass 
And see thine image in me, 

I that must tax my wits to find a way 
To live from day to day. 

I bend the knee to chance and trickery, 
And smile upon a rogue that he may har- 
bor me 

On account of my goodly pedigree. 
Time, the tyrant, has found a way 

To place a stain upon thy heraldry, 
And show to man that none so high 

Who may not in the dust lie. 

Thy castle on the hill 

Which overlooks the sea 
Is the home of the bat and the owl, 

And the rats have gnawn a way 
[58] 



Through thy precious tapestry. 

They disappear as I draw near, 
But I feel their eyes from unseen vantage 

Gaze at me expectantly. 

Where I linger by the chilly hearthside, 
Watching the spider weave its web 

O'er the helmet of the dead, 

While the wind wails at the casement 

And seems to say, 

" Away ! away ! away ! " 



[59] 



THE PEBBLE 

I picked a pebble from the ground; 

It did speak to me of the depth of the sea ; 
Of a mountain stream which passed 

O'er its smooth expanse long ago; 
Of the gold which the fragile fern doth hold, 

And the lotus flower which decked Cleo- 
patra's bower. 

Small wandering stone, polished bright, 

And white as the robe of Aphrodite ! 
In centuries to come will I be as fine as thee ? 



[60] 



ENDEAVOR 

O radiant moon ! 

Would that I could place 
Thy mellow rays within my loom, 

And the brightness of the noon, 
And the violet's sweet perfume, 

And the dusky hue of night, 
And the sunset's ruddy light, 

And the soft glow of the morn, 
And the blue of skies serene, 

And the sheen upon the rill 
As it wanders down the hill. 

All these treasures rare, 
world most fair ! 

I would weave into my loom, 
And not despair 

That even I might attain 
Perfection with my hand and brain. 



[61] 



LIFE'S CASTAWAY 

I am too sad to pray ; 

The weather is bleak, 
And many a harsh wind 

Has withered my cheek; 
My form is bent, 

As though a harlequin, 
With grim laughter, had sent 

My lofty spirit 
Into a grotesque tenement. 

I would leap upon a charger bold 

And dash into the fray, 
Where virtue seeks to find a way 

Past tyrants of renown 
Who claim the day; 

But I am old, 
And although my spirit would command, 

This poor clay will not obey. 

The day haunts the night 

With visions of delight, 
Such as a castaway 

Upon a desolate reef may recall 
As the evening shadows fall, 

And the seagulls 
Flash in the ocean's bed, 

And scream o'er his head. 

[63] 



The sunset has cast its rays upon my floor, 

And past my door a lonely loon flies 
With a plaintive cry; 

The night is here to clothe me o'er with 
grace 
In a mansion which is known as my home, 

Rich with treasures from oversea 
Which mock me and declare 

That my kingdom is despair. 



[63] 



FROM OUT THE PAST 

He stood in a pathway dim 

When the moon and I discovered him, 
As I by my casement leant, 

And the moon upon its pathway went. 
His helmet was under his arm 

And his fair hair caught the light, 
Which seemed as bright 

As the chained armor of gold which did en- 
fold 
A form of slender grace with visage bold 

Which my very soul did entrance, 
For the serene brow and sunny hair 

Memory claimed I had caressed somewhere ; 
As through labyrinths of time I seemed to 
climb 

Back to' the far days 
When I had known the bliss of his kiss. 



my brave knight ! 

So pale in the wan light, 
A sword reached your heart 

Ere my sire's minions tore us apart. 
Many lives I have led, many tears I have shed 

Since last we lived and loved, 
In a fair clime, in a distant time. 



[64] 



By a token all unspoken 

I knew that he had come 
Through the mazes of the ages 

To claim the love so true and tender 
That I to him did surrender 

Long ago. 
And with a cry of rapture which did attest 

The love aglow within my breast, 
I hastened to join him where 

The white lilac blossoms decked the night 
With fragrance and delight ; 

When from the ivy tower 
A bell tolled the midnight hour, 

And I awoke to darkness and despair, 
For my lover was not there. 



[65] 



ONE OF MANY 

From street to street 

And house to house 
He makes his way, 

Offering for sale, 
With a wistful face, 

Pins and needles, thread and lace, 
And with difficulty hoisting his pack 

Upon his back, 
For he is feeble, bent and gray, 

The old Jew peddler who comes our way. 

A stranger to ease and luxuries, 

But who shall say 
He is not a brave, good knight 

In God's great company? 
For his eyes are resolute and true, 

And he takes his orders graciously 
From destiny, murmuring not at his lot ; 

And I feel that I am in right good com- 
pany 
When he smilingly 

Offers his wares to me. 

Upon your doorstep look with care 

For brave Endeavor may be lurking 
there ; 
A stranger of high degree, 
Although he wear 
[66] 



A threadbare coat and an humble air, 

He carries many a virtue 
Which might lend a grace 

To a haughty face, 
For upon the road of pain 

There is much to be gained. 



[67] 



THE MORNING BREEZE 

Touched are the lute strings of morning 

By a truant breeze from high, 
Bidding the tall white roses nod 

To the humbler daisies nigh ; 
Rousing a bee in the clover ; 

Ruffling a butterfly's wings ; 
Searching the earth over 

For small invisible things ; 
Scattering from the trees their weak leaves 

To form a stronghold for the beetle, 
He who doubts not that such eaves 

Will protect him from all thieves 
Who would rob him of his rest 

As he dreams on earth's warm breast. 

Merry breeze so fond of plunder! 

You have robbed me of my slumber, 
Flapping my curtain to and fro, 

Calling me to rise and go 
Out where all things seem so gay 

On this fair midsummer day. 



[68] 



HOSPITALITY 

Beneath my roof 

There is a proof 
Of my hospitality, 

Which the passer-by 
May plainly see, 

Since the swallows have come 
To' dwell with me. 

With fluttering wings 
The twittering things 

Have brought some clay 
And molded a way, 

Under my roof to stay 
In comfort and ease for many a day. 

They occupy rooms of small dimensions, 

And to me pay no attention, 
But seem inclined to do as they please 

Under my eaves. 
I have not turned them out, 

For I find pleasure 
In watching what they are about, 

Feeling quite proud 
That creatures so happy and free 

Should care to dwell with me; 
And devotedly say : 

" Blessed be the hollows 
Of the swallows." 

[69] 



UPON THE SEASHORE 

Since youth has passed my door, and will 
speak to me no more, 
I care not the world to explore. 
I will wander upon my own seashore, 
And watch the ships put out to sea, 
Pondering upon what Fate may have in 
store for me 
In a strange country. 



[70] 



THE PLEA OF THE SCISSORS GRINDER 

Scissors to grind, scissors to grind ! 

Who will be kind 
And give to me their scissors to grind? 

I ring my bell 
To call you out (without a shout). 

Scissors to grind, scissors to grind! 

O you of good cheer ! 

There is someone here 
Who may be in need ; 

Take heed, take heed, 
And good will with necessity combine. 

Scissors to grind, scissors to grind! 

Some birds fly high, 

And some fly low, 
As o'er the earth they go. 

Mortals up and mortals down, 
Do not frown but bring to me, your 

Scissors to grind, scissors to grind. 

Do not doubt that justice you will find 

As I grind; 
See how sharp your scissors be, 

A bit of leather 
They will sever, 

Scissors to grind, scissors to grind! 

[71] 



My bell is not set upon a steeple 

Beneath a cross of gold 
For the sun to behold, 

But upon a little cart, 
With the humble hope 

That it will reach your heart. 
O good people, be kind, 

And give to me your 
Scissors to grind, scissors to grind. 



[72] 



MOTHER EARTH 

There is a great good mother 

Of high degree; 
Although she lowly be, 

She hath a gracious air, 
And she doth wear 

Jted, emerald and gray, 
And doth play 

A wondrous melody 
Which echoes through the woods, 

And is found in many a rill 
As it ripples in and out 

Among the hills. 
She hath given me garments fair, 

Mellow wheat and berries sweet 
When I would eat. 

I have bathed in a spring 
Whose dusky rim 

She decked with brightest flowers 
To make glad 

The fleeting hours. 
When I did wander in the heat of noon. 

Upon the mountain side, 
She gave me golden fruit 

To quench my thirst, 
And the leafy shade 

Of a fragrant tree 
To shelter me. 

And when night fell 
[73] 



I sought her ample breast 
To drink of her fount of rest. 

O mother of mine ! 

I feel that a Will divine 
Hath fashioned thee 

To comfort me, 
And lead me away from sorrow, 

And bid me raise my eyes 
To a radiant tomorrow. 



[74] 



THE CONQUEROR 

With my pack upon my back, 

An old gray hat, 
And a jacket out of gear — 

You may think it queer — 
But in garb such as this 

I am bound for bliss. 

As conqueror of the subjects of the sea 

And lord of expectancy, 
At break of day I search for prey 

With the beetle and the bee 
And all things which are free. 

The bee knows the joy 
Of seeking the pollen of the rose, 

And the beetle, I suppose, 
Looks for prey in quite another way v 

But for sport he is bound without a 
sound ; 
While gleefully I sing a lay 

Of an ancient day 
When lions roamed this land so free 

And disposed of men like me. 
Now this is a legend gray 

Relating to a bygone century. 

My step is light, 

But it rings with might 

[75] 



Upon the broad highway, 
For I am bound for bliss, 

And carking care I shall dismiss, 
Since merry is the soul 

That carries a fishing pole. 



[T6] 



A LOVER AND — ALAS 

You shall have a crown 

Of thistledown, 
And a kingdom, too, 

For I love you. 

See, your handmaidens so free 

Are growing at your knee ; 
Daisies white and small, 

And hyacinths, slender and tall. 

The peacock and the crane 

By a royal decree here shall remain, 
For the splendor of the peacock's train 

And the repose which the crane really 
knows. 

A minstrel rare we cannot spare, 
So the breeze through the leaves 

Shall whisper a lay 
All the livelong day. 

And when night finds you here, 

Dewdrops like diamonds will appear 

Upon your shoulders fair, 
And deck your hair. 



[77] 



That is, if you care to remain 

And continue your reign 
As queen of the meadow, 

Subject to the damp in the heather. 

I admit that a royal estate 
Does not always compensate 

For the loss of ease 

To those accustomed to do as they please. 

But if you should wander from here, 

my dear, 

I trust you will not stay 
At an expensive hostelry, 

For I prefer to reside 

Where you abide, 
And like the hyacinths fair, 

1 have no money to spare. 

Therefore, I beg, remain here 

Through the warm season of the year, 
And when evening summons you to rest 

Place your head upon my breast. 

And we as free 

As the gypsies will be ; 
Your sighs I will temper 

With my replies. 

[78] 



The dampness of the weather, 

Nor the small things in the heather 

Cannot break up our home, 
Nor cause us to roam, 

For our kingdom is here, 

And our hearts know no fear, 

Since with love we abide 
Whatever betide. 



[79] 



DEGENERATION 

Place a seashell to your ear, 

A murmuring song you will hear, 
Set as a scroll within the shell forever to 
dwell, 

Telling of the mysteries of the deep, 
Where curious creatures abound 

And seaweed covers the retreat 
Of the many that are weak; 

Should they chance to stray along the 
sea's highway 
Numbers would be slain, 

For pirates lie in wait 
The lives of the venturesome to take, 

And by strength of might they achieve 
their fight. 

There are many upon the earth 

Who would emulate the subjects of the sea, 
Truants from their natural sphere. 

But in a future life 
They may be found, floating around, 

Looking for prey 
In the same old way. 

As you pluck the deadly hemlock 
And the rose 

For diverse destinies, 
So will the Master of our fate 

Separate the thistle from the grape. 
[80] 



LAUGHTER 

There is laughter all about, shout! 
And the sound 

Will resound 
All around 
Or, say " Quail," 
And my dog will wag his tail. 
Take not tears 

From the years 

With your fears! 
Repent and pray 
To be gay, 

For the fun 

Has just begun ! 



[81] 



THE SIGN 

One cloudy night upon the sky 

I saw silvery sheaves of wheat stacked high 

Upon a stubble field; 
At its extremity a shimmering waterfall, 

Beneath which a lake 
Seemed to take its sheen 

From the moon's radiant beams, 
Which flooded it o'er, and sought to explore 

A dusky cavern near by. 
But a centure in gray barred the way, 

And I knew to my sorrow 

That it would rain on the morrow. 



[82] 



THE ITALIAN YOUTH 

Beaming face, eyes so bright, 

Teeth of glistening white! 
" Will I buy thy peaches today? " 

Oh what bloom they do wear ! 
Shall I not declare they are fine? 

Can I not see they are in their prime? 
Oh joy be thine! 

They are mine ! 
And here is coin to buy thee wine. 

The exchange is fair; 

But how shall I pay for thy smile so 
gay? 
I cannot make a like return, 

For I was not born in Italy. 
But I thank thee 

For thy grace and thy radiant face; 
Thou blooming dust of earth, 

Sweet be thy destiny 
As these peaches are to me. 



[83] 



HIS TREASURY 

I was as a lost man in a dream, 

Fondling her nut-brown hair, agleam 

With glints of gold, upon her shoulders bare ; 
Her eyes of blue of the iris hue 

I closed with a kiss or two, 

Forgetting that I was of high degree, 

As I stooped to a maid so lowly. 

But I glanced about to see 

If anyone was observing me, 

And discovered on a fence near by 
An old owl which blinked an eye 

And seriously gazed at me ; 
I did not care for the creature's stare, 

So my lips sought those of the maiden there, 
And under the fragrant locust tree 

I held the key to a wondrous treasury. 

For the maiden I loved and she loved me, 

Yet I sighed to think I was above one so fair, 
And in order to comfort me 

With a kiss or two 
The little maid mounted her milking stool, 

And thus became a lady of high degree. 
So Fate arranged a match for me 

Under the fragrant locust tree. 



[84] 



UPON THE GREAT HIGHWAY 

Although I lack might, 

I will champion the right: 
The right of the brave and the holy, 

The right of the weak and the lowly; 
And will endeavor, if only for a day, 

To straighten the way 
Of the fellow in gray 

Whose star has declined 
And left him blind 

Upon the great highway. 

The lads and the lassies 

And the kitten there 
Under my chair 

Shall know no fear 
When I draw near; 

For I cannot compete 
With the strength of the weak, 

And God would not have it otherwise, 
Since their weakness 

Leads us to sympathy and sacrifice. 

Therefore, pity the fellow in gray; 

He is not strong, 
So help him along 

The great highway. 



[85] 



MAY 

Come, come away! 
Led by a feather 
All together, 

We will be gay ! 

What of today? 

You have work, you say? 
Oh come away ! 
Come away ! 

Fie ! in such weather 
Would you prefer 
Gold to heather? 
Come away! 

Leave your hive 
And be alive 
Just for today 
Come away! 

This is May, 

And by such token 
We should play. 
Come away! 



[86] 



IN HARVEST TIME 

There is tragedy here 

And many a fear, 
For a vast machine 

Goes up and down 
Above the dome 

Where the field mouse makes his homi* 

In great distress at his helplessness 
He mounts his tower of grass, 

And sees a hurricane of steel pass. 
Oh, the pity! Oh, the city! 

Oh, the dust and chaff 

Which flies in many eyes ! 

The citizens of Pompeii doubtless did pray 

To a god of clay, 
As the field mouse may be doing today 

To the man on the mower — 
The sower of disaster, 

And of his fate the master. 

Oh, the ruined marts ! 

And the wildly beating hearts 
Of the little things 

Which were wont to play 
In a most peculiar way 

Without fear of a disastrous year. 

[87] 



Now harvest time is here, 

And the giants of the ground 

Have gathered round 

To tear the golden towers down ; 

It is said to make bread 
For the people overhead. 

If a mouse should survive this affair t 
He may relate in language sedate 

The hurry, scurry and worry 
Of one of his number, 

Who informed them all of the fall 
Of the golden wheat in their street. 

To them this tale may be as dear 
As to us the ride of Paul Revere. 

You may think it queer, 
But if I were a seer, 

I would tell you what they said 
When they fled. 



[88] 



POSSESSION 

The day is mine! 

The day is mine! 

Come, share with me a gift divine ! 

Sovereign am I of hours of ease and ecstasies. 

There is a green velvet carpet spread for me in 

the valley; 
And a blue jay tells me there is a rill upon the 

hill 

Where the heather is in bloom, 

And the scarlet cardinal flower glorifies the hour. 

The day is mine! 

The day is mine! 

Virginia creeper decks the wall ; daffodils are 

growing tall ; 
The blushing Lady Washington is outdone by 

the rhododendron ; 
The grasshopper prates of it like a village gos- 
sip ; 
There is a downy moth, a yellow butterfly and a 

bumblebee, 
But they do not disagree ; 

They would not bother to make war on one an- 
other. 
The weeping willow tree is ashamed of a name 
Which suggests unhappiness — O trailing col- 
umbine. 

The day is mine ! 

The day is mine ! 

[89] 



The mocking bird is whistling for me 

And I have an invitation from the wild rose o'er 

the way 
Which climbed the hedge to say, " Good-day, 
Wilt thou agree to join my company, 
The squirrel, the bee, the oriole, and the old elm 

tree? " 
The forget-me-not has cast its lot 
With the gaudy marigold, 
Therefore may find a reason not all treason 
For being blue — but I will not repine — 
The day is mine! 
The day is mine! 
I shall hop along the way with my little friend 

the wren, 
But the thrush shall see 
That I can almost fly if I try. 
The brilliant poppies sway and would race with 

the day, 
And I will not say I am clay 
When I would be a branch of holly 
Or a lissome queen of folly, 
For light as a blossom from a tree is the spirit 

within me. 

The day is mine ! 
The day is mine! 
With its pomp of flowers and precious hours, 
A caterpillar has crept upon my gown ; 
I shall not frown, he may wish to show me round. 

[90] 



Time register me, A Rover through the per- 
fumed clover. 
My pedigree will not compare with a DeClare's 
But by right of birth upon the kingdom men call 
earth, 

The day is mine! 
The day is mine ! 



[91] 



THANKSGIVING 

Dear God, I thank Thee 

For this fair estate 
Wherein we stray. 

I know it cannot compare 
With the realm of our destiny — 

For there is an ecstasy at times 
Which penetrates the mind 

Like a vapor from a wine 
Brewed in fields divine, 
And tells us there is no extent to time, 
Nor joy, nor peace 

Beyond our reach. 

Therefore, great God on high, 

I thank Thee for the blueness of the sky, 

The rose of dawn, 
The melody of song, 

And the strength to see 
Thy beacon light 

In the darkest night. 



[92] 



